Control valve mechanism



H. c. MAY

CONTROL VALVE MECHANISM May 16, 1950 Filed July 19, L946 2 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR. Harry C. Mag

ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. c. MAY

CQNTROL VALVE MECHANISM I h. '1 =1 "HM I I m Ill I 47 llll i May 16,1950 Filed July 19,

ATTORNEY H m a M m0 m H reciprocation within --sai'd--.cylinderlPatented May 16, 1950 UNITED STA- T Es: PATENT oFiFIcE GONTROL VALVEMECHANISM- Ea M r rt, Ea es s riti The Westinghouse Brake Company,Wilmerding, Pal, a corporation :of Pennsylvania Application July 19-,'1946,"-'Serial Nol-681K984 Claims.

1 I This invention relates to control devices andmore-parti-cularlytothe manually operated type for selectively controllingra plurality ofoperations.-

One -objectof the invention is to provide an improved control-"device ofthe above mentioned type requiring relatively light operating forces for.prompt and positive operation.

Another object of th'e'invention-is the provisionof an improved controldevice of the above type-embodyin a plurality.- of individual, selec--tively operative operators; such as manually,- operativepush buttons; vand automatic "means forjlocking each'of said operators in an operating1 position and releasable by operation of another operator.-- v

I Other objects and advantages wi-ll be apparent from thevfollowingnmore detailed description of the inventions In -theaccompanying-drawings;- Figsl is a diagrammatic 'view-'of' a fluidpressure control system embodying-g invertical section 'taken online-J-I in Figsr2ga ='contro1--deviee constructed imaocordanca-with"one embodiment of; :the l inventiongsFigs 2- is a :planview, partlyin"section;-

Fig.4 is-a view' similarto=Figsz l and 3 butshow ingecerta'in lpartssvine: a--stil1 different position Flg=-r5 is .a -fragmentaryf sectionalview taken on sectional view takenon the line 6-43 :of Fig: '2 Pig y-T7is aeseetional view takenonthe line l -I of Fig, 2 3 and Figi-B' is a:sectional view-taken on:

the line 8--8 of Fig. 4.

Description As :shown the-\drawings acontrol device =I,

embodying the invention, mayfor the purpose of illustrating one use 'ofsaid=invention,-bearranged to" control a double acting fluid pressuremotor- 2.

The double actingfiuid pressure-motor 2 com prisesva cylinder andva'piston 4* adapted for The piston 4 divides-ecylinder :3 intot-two"chambers f 5 and. 6 connected by pipesfi'l and ayrespectively,'torthecontrol device I The-control device'; I comprises abody portioncontaining two valve mechanisms!) andvI s andan-r operatingsmechanism II for controlling opera between the sleeve I Z and themember I 5, The

valve member I I6 extends into a chairfloer; I B wherein a valve I isprovide d on the-end of thesaid .memb'er for cooperation with a; seat onsleeve Ii -to control communication between said chamber I and one ormore ports 2E9 iuthe sleeveleading to an annular recess 2 I providedaround at said sleeve The o uter"end wall of chamber I8 isclosed by a-cap- ZZ-haVingscrevVthreaded engagement wi th-sleeve -lz and supportedby, said cap and bearing against said valve; is a spring 23 -for-urgingsthe valve 19 to its-seated position. The valveimemberflfi isprovided vvithan axial 1 bore 24 open at one end to chamber I8 and open3 at the oppositeend to a bore oflarger diameter in which" therein'slidabl'y mounted La fluted stem 25 projectingfrom-arelease valve 26';The

release valve 26"is contained-in the .counterl bore l4 above theuppervend of the valve member I6, which member-is providedwith a seatfor-engagement by said; valve. i The portion of the counterbore licontainin'g the release valve 26 is open to atmospherethrough one ormore passages 21 and a chamber 28; The releasevalve 2B is :provided with'a stem 29"vvhi'chextends through a bore in member I 5 into: chamber 28.

In the valve mechanism 9 an annular recess allencircliri'g sleeve I2"i'sopen to chamber. I 8 and i to pipe 1, 'whileinyalve mechanism It acorresponding recess 30 is open tothe corresponding chamber lfland topipe 8.- A-fluid pressure supply pipe 3| -is connected to annular recess-2I' in valve mechanism III and saidannularrecess is connected by apassage 32 to the correspond-- ingannular recessZI in the valvemechanism9;

The operating-mechanism 1 II comprises; two" substantially alike butoppositely'arranged oper-" atinglevers 33' and 34contained in chamber 28and fulcrumedintermediate their 'endson a pin 35 carried in the bodyat'right angles tdthe-axis of the-valve-mechanisms 9 and I0: A- pushbutton 36 is pivotally connected to one end-ofoperating-lever 33,while'between-said push button. and pin- 35 said lever is provided witha button" 31 for contacting: the end :0f-'the 're1ease'- valve stem 29-in: the valve mechanism *9.- A'push but 3 ton 38 is pivotally connectedto one end of operating lever 34, while between said push button and.pin 35 said lever is provided with a button 39 for contacting the end ofthe release valve stem 29 in the valve mechanism It. The chamber 28 isclosed by a cover 46 having bores through which the two push buttons 36and 33 slidably extend to the exterior of the cover for manualoperation. The opposite end of lever 33 has a pocket in which isdisposed one end of a spring 4| the other end of which bears against thecover 43. This spring is under compression for urging the button 33outwardly of cover 40 and the operating lever 33 into engagement with astop 42 formed on said cover. A similar spring 43 is interposed betweenlever 34 and cover 49 for urging the button 38 outwardly of c ver 40 andsaid lever into engagement with a stop 44.

Secured in the body between the two release valve stems 29 of the valvemechanisms 9 and I9 is a fulcrum pin 45, disposed with its axis parallelto said stems, and rockably mounted on this pin, transversely of theoperating levers 33 and 34, are two substantially alike locking members46 and 41. The two locking members cross each other and their ends atone side of fulcrum pin 45 are disposed at opposite sides of lever 33,while their opposite ends are disposed at opposite sides of lever 34.

One end of each of the locking members 45 and 41 is provided on the sideadjacent one of the operating levers 33 or 34 with a sloping cam surface48 (Figs. 5 to 8) connecting two Vertical surfaces 49 and 59, while atthe opposite end on the side adjacent the other operating lever is ahook or undercut part 5| having a surface 54 for overlying and engaginga surface of said other lever opposite the respective valve mechanism 9or ID.

The two locking members 46 and 47 are so designed that with surface 49on either locking member in contact with the side of the respectivelever 33 or 34, the under-cut hook-like part 5| on the opposite end ofsaid member will overlie the surface of the other lever opposite thevalve mechanism 9 or ID, while with surface 50 on said locking member incontact with the side of the respective lever, said under-cut hook-likeart 5| will be displaced out of the path of movement of said otherlever. Movement of either operating lever 33 or 34 against the camsurface 48 of the respective locking member will rock said lockingmember in a direction to disengage the under-cut hook-like part 5| onthe opposite end from the other lever. Springs 52 and 53 act on thelocking members 46 and 41 respectively for maintaining the ends havingthe cam surfaces 48 in engagement with the respective operating levers.

Operation With the various parts of the control mechanism in a normalposition as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, and with pipe 3|supplied with fluid under pressure, chamber 6 of the double acting fluidpressure motor 2 will be charged with fluid under pressure from saidpipe by way of the valve mechanism l9, while chamber 5 will be open toatmosphere, in a manner which will become apparent from the descriptionto follow. The piston 4 will therefore occupy the position in which itis shown in the drawing.

If it is desired to move piston 4 to the opposite or right hand end ofcylinder 3, the operator will press the push button 36 downwardly withhis finger and rock the operating lever 33 counterclockwise about thepin 35. As operating lever 33 moves downward the lower left edge of thislever, as viewed in Fig. 6, will slide along surface 49 of the lockingmember 46 until this edge comes in contact with cam surface 48. Furtherdownward movement of the operating lever 33 will then cause the loweredge thereof to slide along the cam surface 48 which will causecounterclockwise rocking of the locking member 45 about fulcrum pin 45to move the under-cut hook-1ike part 5| at the opposite end of saidlocking member out of the path of movement of the operating lever 34,whereupon, spring 43 will rock operating lever 34 counterclockwise untilit comes in contact with the stop 44.

As the operating lever 34 is rocked counterclockwise by spring 43, asjust described, the button 39 will be moved in a direction away fromstem 29 of the release valve 25 of the valve mechanism l6, whereupon, insaid mechanism spring 23 will move the valve member l6 upwardly to seatthe valve IQ for preventing further flow of fluid under pressure tochamber 6 of the double acting fluid pressure motor 2. After the valveH3 in valve mechanism lll seats the fluid under pressure from chamber l8acting thru bore 24 on the release valve 25 in said mechanism will movesaid release valve from its seat to permit release of fluid underpressure from the motor piston chamber 6 thru pipe 8 and thence toatmosphere thru chamber I8, bore 24, passages 21, chamber 23 andclearance space provided in the cover 40 around the push buttons 35 and38. The parts of the control device will now occupy the position inwhich they are shown in Figs. 3 and '7 of the drawing.

After the hook-like part 5| on member 46 has been moved out of the pathof movement of the operating lever 34 to permit operation of valvemechanism ID to open chamber 6 in motor 2 to atmosphere as abovedescribed, further depression of button 36 will move button 31 intocontact with stem 29 of the release valve 26 of the valve mechanism 9and move said release valve into seating engagement with the valvemember l6 for closing communication between atmosphere and chamber 5 ofthe double acting fluid pressure motor 2. Further depressing button 36and rocking of operating lever 33 will then actuate the release valve 26and valve member I6 in valve mechanism 9 to unseat the respective valveI9 and permit fluid under pressure to flow from the supply pipe 3| tochamber 5 of the double acting fluid pressure motor 2, by way of theannular recess 2| in the valve mechanism l0, passage 32, and thence thruthe annular recess 2|, ports 20, past the unseated valve l9, and thruchamber l8 in the valve mechanism 9.

With fluid under pressure released from chamber 6 the fluid thussupplied to chamber 5 in the fluid motor 2 will then move piston 4 tothe right hand end of cylinder 3.

When the operating lever 33 has been rocked counterclockwise bydepressing button 36 sufficiently to bring the top of said lever belowthe hook-like part 5| of the locking member 4'! the spring 53 hearingagainst said locking member will rock it counterclockwise, as viewed inFig. 2 to move said hook-like part 5| into the path of return movementof said lever. If the operators finger is now removed from the pushbutton 36, spring 4| will move the operating lever 33 into contact withsurface 54 on the hook-like portion 5| of locking member 41 to hold saidlever against return to its normal position against stop 42 and thevalve mechanism 9 will therefore be mainesosgasr ward'ly'the lowerileft'edgesotthislever; aS'NiEWBdLT a ins'iFig'. 5i:otlthe.idrawing; :wilrslideaalongifsurface: la'louthezldckingimembep 41 iuntilsthisedgecomes;- imcontactwithmanirsuriaceJBm Furthemdowna ward movement ofoperating lever 34 wihrthens causesthea loweriedgerithereofto;slide;along; the

camasuriace: :4 Hand TOCkifi311il00king smemberJAIimaiclockwise-rdirection; asiviewedzzin Figaczxabouti fulcrumsi inufl tom'oveaathezlunden-cut.hookslikeL part 5 is at the 1 opposites end-:outlof ithespjathzof? movementizoicthe aoperatingaleven 33; wheneupon'ispring 4| lwilll rock ioperatingrleversfl (clockwise?- until itacomesin;contactwiththe stop-A Asothe operating) lever?'3isisithusiroekedslclockwiser the; button237 'willibe smoved imadiriection awayrfrommstenuxi fl'i sofu thereleases valve 326": in z the :valve 1 5;

mechanism-:9 toapermit loperation of 'said-smechaez ni'sm'eto:first'icutzroft their supply? of t fluid. under a pressure from epipe;3l@:tozechamber SJinuthe fluid; motor 2 and to then release fluid underpressures f FDIITQESEtid :chambers irroas manner t-whi'chewill be 30.1

apparent;fromithe'above deseriptiomof'pperation: of: therval-izeamechanism's l 0;;

Asthepushvbuttoir 38 isthem furtheridepresse'd; thexoper'ating; lever34zzwillzibearockedziurthersrins azclockwiserdirection .to afirst:bringgthe :button 39 intoscontactlwithistem 29iof theereleasewalve 261ofcthe valveimechanisnml 0;? and to ith'en. seat. said If release,va'lreW-and .totzopen thec==respective :supply valve 1| 9; forsithereby clos-ing xzommunicationvbea tweerr atmosphere and chamber6-.i.-of :the. double:

acting .fluidcpressureimotor 2 iand'f or lpermitting' fluid underpressuretofiowifrom;theisupply pipe-i 3| to saiduchamber;

Withmhamber:imtheifluidmotorsl' thusiopen to' aatmosph'ere sthe pressureoffthe :fluid provided! im'chamber;fi wlilamove :pistoni 4 itothezleithand end bf. .cyl-inderi3.

I when: the operating lever .34-hasbeen rocked by'e' push:button3Bmlockwisesufliciently'to bring the-1 toplotsai'dlevenbelowithesurface54bn thehook like part 51 ofvt'he dockingmemb'er 46",ithe spring:521Ibearing against said locking member ewillf-rock'iticlockwise;asviewedein Fig:'2, to movethepart i 5lrinto thezpathtofcreturnr movement of saidslever;

nowremoved: fr'om the' push ib'utton 38 the op erating lever fl will beh'eldin the depressed po sition to maintain the valve mechanism I 0in-the position for" supplying; fluid under '"p'ressue 5 to chamber ofthe; double" acting 'fluid. pressure t motor 2;

' If it is desiredtoflagain, release the fiuidunder pressure iromchambrBand ;to supply fluid. undergpressurerto chamber 5 of .the doubleacting;

fluid pressure motor 2,- the push;.button 36-may be manually depressedby;thesoperator to first 01 eratethe lockingzmembenfl5 out oflocking-gela tion with leverv34 ito permit operation ,ofi -the zvalve-.-mechanism l Uzto :release:fluidpundergpresesurefrom'aachambersffiyrjollowedte byiaoperation -.:;of valve mechanism 9ito'rsupply fluidmnder pressure: torchamber.5ianduthenaautomatic:bperation ofi. thBJlOCkihgiUIIIlbGlfiAllO holdthezlever 33;:inithe'e I depressedzs position-2;for z maintainingetheevalve:

mechanism azinitheiconditiomifor supplyingifluidi under pressuretochamber Underzcertain :conditionssit may be desirableto: openboth::chambersr5 rand :Bdrr-ntheeflfid motor 2;: to atmosphere atthesame-.time,- and this may be-s accomplished :as follows:

Assume that chamber;6iiislchargedzwitlr:fluid: under pressure by ,:Wayis0fthe .operrzsupplyzvalvea- I 9 :in' the :valve mechanism 0 Land :thatichambeni, 5 open: to atmosphere epast!- the: release ivalve': 2firinithe valveamechanisnns landithat it is. desired;to:z-release-ithejrfluideunderrpressure :from chains ber 6 land. tooatthe sam'eitime maintain: chamber; 5 :open to atmospheres. To accomplishYithiS the e operator: will depressapush; :button;;3 tiionly.asufliacient to; operate :leverr 33 to emove zzthe: locking-rv member:46 out: of interlociting;v relation-1 with; lever 34:whereuponxatheilatterzlevert will; benree turned to; its normal)position; ibynzsprin g dti'toi permitoperation OfJvaLVemechaniSmeiIllztoopen; chamber 6 in the fluid motor Zetoaatmospherezx As the lever:341-isrthus ;retur ned. tositsmormal position spring-53bactingizon.llockingememberzfli will roekatheaoppositezend'nf said:locking menm her into Y contact-with lver-.33,abut with thezlever: 33only depressed sufiicientlyssto '.-re1ease; :locking member .41.from;lever:.34,; thesurfacez54nomlocke 1 ing member. 46 will. lbezbe'low, ithBl top surface z-vof-sl lever 33 iso thatlbuttomfifi-xmay:thenzbe released andleveri331wil1 bexreturned:;by;-spring; .4 litmits; normal position: thusipermittingtthevalvemecha-L 1 nism 9 to maintain: ch'amber;:5ropen-rtoo atmos phere.

If chamber 5 is chargedwitlzinifluid underpresee sure"andit;isidesirediito;release'rsuch "fluid: under 2 pressurerwithoutisupplyingi'efluicb underxpressure: to. chamber =6; this maysbez-accomplishedrby. :de-n pressing-button .38 only sufficient torelease locks. r ing member from lever .133 :and thon -releasing button38,: as vwill he apparent; from; the above description.

Summary;

It will now be seen that," at .the'will' :ofithe operator,1fiuidundeiapressure' may bev adr'n'ittedto; either ofth'e chambers 5 andBandreIeased frQm. the other. bydepression'of either one or the other ofthe push buttons 35",and 38; and that, due'to: the automatic operation jof Itthe respective locking,memloer. 46"0r 41;? thefiui'd pressure willbe maintained in the 'respective chamber E or 6*; upon removal ofpressure on'the're'spectiye' button: 36 or 38; andv untiltheiother.buttonisv depressed to'cause a supply, of fluid. underpressure to the: other one of said chambers; whereuponthe re?- spectivelocking, 'member will; be t automatically operated to permitoperation'of the valve'mech'an'i'sm controlling the pr'essureioffliiidinthe chamber :lastcharged, to release such fluid underpressure; Furthenwhen either ;button 36101" 38'? is fully, depressed andin" a locked condition, .it' may be released Iwithouteausing lockingofthe other buttonin'a depressed. position, ifjsuch' is desired, foropening/both chambers i51and 6 to. atmosphere at the samejtime;

Having now" described. the invention what .I claim as newaYld"deSi16tOQSGCUIGIbyflitters Patent is:

1. A control device comprising a pair of parallel'arra'nged.manuallymovable members 70 each having a normal positio'nand a depressed"position, a pair'of locking levers disposed to turn? in a direction atright angles to thedirection of movementof said movable members andeach" automatically =operative= to-hold one of said memhers in itsdepressed position 1; and '-rendere'dineffective. bythe other memberupon movement toward its depressed position, and means for moving eachof said members from its depressed position to its normal position uponrendering the respective lever ineffective.

2. A control device comprising a pair of parallel arranged manuallymovable members each having a normal position and a depressed position,a pair of locking levers disposed to turn in a direction at right anglesto the direction of movement of said movable members and each forholding one of said members in its depressed position, means forrendering each of said locking levers effective upon movement of therespective member to its depressed position, means operative,

by each member upon movement thereof out of its normal position torender said locking lever for the other member ineffective, and meansfor moving said members to their normal position upon rendering therespective locking mechanisms ineffective.

3. A manually operative control device comprising a casing, twoactuating levers fulcrumed in said casing, each lever having a normalposition and being movable to another position, a locking lever, foreach actuating lever, fulcrumed in said casing, each locking levercomprising locking means movable into interlocking relation with therespective actuating lever when in its other position to hold therespective actuating lever in its said other position, and cam meansoperative by the other actuating lever upon movement thereof out of itsnormal position to move said locking means out of interlocking relationwith the respective actuating lever, and means for moving each actuatinglever to its normal position upon movement of the respective lockingmeans out of interlocking relation therewith.

4. A manually operative control device comprising a casing, twoactuating levers fulcrumed in said casing, each lever having a normalposition and being movable to another position, a locking lever, foreach actuating lever, fulcrumed intermediate its ends in said casing,each locking lever comprising at one end a hook for overlying therespective actuating lever in its said other position for holding therespective actuating lever against movement from its said otherposition, a spring acting on each locking lever for moving therespective hook into overlying relation with the respective actuatinglever upon movement to its said other position, each locking levercomprising at the opposite end cam means operable by the other actuatinglever upon movement out of its normal position to move the respectivehook out of the path of movement of the respective actuating lever, andmeans for moving said actuating levers to their normal position uponmovement of the respective hooks out of the path of movement of therespective levers.

5. A manually operative control device comprising a casing, twoactuating levers fulcrumed in said casing, each lever having a normalposition and another position, a push button connected to each of saidlevers for moving it to its said other position, a locking element foreach of said levers comprising locking means automatically cooperativewith the respective lever in its said other position to hold said levertherein, each locking element also comprising means operable by theother lever upon movement from its normal position to a positionintermediate its normal and other positions to render the respectivelocking means ineffective, and means for moving said actuating levers totheir normal positions upon rendering the respective locking meansinefiective.

6. A manually operated control device comprising a pair of operatinglevers, two releasable locking means, one for locking each of saidoperating levers in a chosen position, means operative by either of saidoperating levers upon an initial movement toward its said chosenposition for releasing from the other operating lever the respectivelocking means, and means operative upon movement of either operatinglever to its chosen position to effect operation of the respectivelocking means into interlocking relationship therewith.

'7. In a manually operated control device, the combination with a pairof rockable levers, a push button for rocking each of said rockablelevers from a normal position to another position, a pair of lockinglevers, one for each of said rockable levers, means operative uponmovement of each of said rockable levers to its said other position tomove the respective locking lever into interlockingrelation therewith,means operative upon movement of either rockable lever from its normalposition to release from the other rockable lever the respective lockingmeans, and means for rocking each of said rockable levers from its saidother position to its said normal position.

8. A manually operated control device comprising a pair of operatinglevers. operable to be rocked from a normal position to a depressedposition, a pair of locking levers, one for each of said operatinglevers, and each of said looking levers comprising a hook operable tolock the respective operating lever in its depressed position, meansoperable by the other operating lever upon movement to a positionintermediate its normal and depressed positions for moving said hook outof interlocking relationship with the respective operating lever, andmeans operable to move said operating levers from their depressedposition to their normal position.

9. A manually operated control device comprising a casing, a shaftjournaled in said casing, a pair of operating levers fulcrumed on saidshaft and rockable about said shaft from a normal position to adepressed position, a locking mechanism comprising two locking-levers,one for each operating lever, each of said locking levers comprising ahook for locking the respective operating levers in its depressedposition, and cam means operable by the other'operating lever uponrocking 'to a position intermediate its normal position and itsdepressed position to unlock said hook from the respective operatinglever, and means for moving said operating levers to their said normalposition.

10. A manually operated control device comprising, a fulcrum means, apair of operating levers rockable on said fulcrum means from a normalposition to a depressed position, a second fulcrum means, a lockingmechanism comprising two locking levers, one for each operating lever,and rockable on said second fulcrum means from a released position to alocking position, the axes of said second fulcrum means and the firstnamed fulcrum means being at right anglesone to the other, the lockinglever for each operating lever comprising a hook movable intointerlocking relation with the respective operating lever in thedepressed position thereof for holding the respective operating lever inits depressed position, and further comprising cam means operable by theother operating lever upon movement out of its normal position to unlocksaid hook from the respective operating, lever, and means for movingsaid operating levers to their normal position.

HARRY C. MAY.

7 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rider Nov. 27, 1906v NumberZimmerman et a1. Feb. 16, 1943

